The Kitsune's Claim
by Kemonomimi-san
Summary: Momonga left, despite his promise to her. Now she is alone, left only with NPCs that are more like moving dolls than anything else. Fortunately, that state of affairs ends at midnight on the day of Yggdrasil's announced shut-down. Unfortunately, the price is being in a whole new world filled with people who don't look kindly on non-humans. She must fight to defend her last home.
1. Prologue

"You have done very well, Shalltear. Those low-lives now know how weak they truly are. They never stood a chance against Nazarick and you taught them that so very well. I'm very pleased with your work."

The Myobu of even a year ago would probably hold her face and blush in shame at what she was doing now; however, the Great Tomb of Nazarick had Momonga then. He was gone now, leaving her to lower herself to this. It was pathetic how this was still the highlight of her day, but it truly was.

The Celestial Kitsune hadn't actually been deep into role-play when she still had guild-mates. She focused more on min-maxing and abusing the hell out of every trick she could find to rise above other players. Now, alone, she relied on it to keep herself sane.

If she didn't have even this false social interaction, she'd likely go mad with loneliness. Not that her guildmates had cared. They probably hadn't even given a thought to those they'd left behind. Momonga had felt that loss too and she had been led to believe he would stay with her to share that pain between them. He had promised, even, that he would stay until the very end. They were partners.

It had all been a lie! He left, just like the others! He left what they had worked so hard for – the Great Tomb of Nazarik that was their _home_ – and _betrayed_ her by going back on his word.

Was it her fault?

"Considering how many Players had gathered to conquer Nazarick in this latest attempt at glory, your success in turning them away is something to admire. For such hard work, I believe you deserve a reward. I shall give you the Amulet of Despair, which increases the damage caused when using magic with a negative alignment."

Was it because she had burst his bubble of denial? She had seen the decline of Yggdrasil. She knew what the shitty devs would do. She knew Yggdrasil had a deadline in the future, but Momonga hadn't wanted to admit it.

She had pushed, trying to use it as an excuse to take riskier ventures while they could. It was why so many other players had been trying to conquer their guild base. Who wouldn't want the glory in destroying a guild that had withstood all other attempts? Their attempts infuriated her and she was merciless in her retribution, but she understood them.

While she herself was not focused on other guilds, she had tried to get Momonga to seek the greatest treasures to be had in the most dangerous dungeons. After all, her [Alarm Talisman] would alert her if any intruders tried their luck on their guild base, so they could have fun without having to worry needlessly.

He had gone with her for a time. The rest of their party spaces were taken up by powerful mercenary NPCs to make up for their missing _friends_. Summoned creatures made up for any additional firepower needed. Considering her _specialty_ was summoning and racial skills, this was hardly a problem. Many successes were had and she had felt a rush of triumph and glee at each victory. She hoarded each treasure and used every data crystal to forge even more treasures.

She had thought that they could continue to adventure and better Nazarick until the very end. She thought he would stay and help her defend their _home_ from invaders until everything was shut down.

 _She had given him her faith, her trust, and he had betrayed her. He betrayed Nazarick and all it represented. He left her alone with only NPCs to talk to. How could he?! He was her partner! He had promised!_

But Momonga's soul had been chipped away bit after bit, day after day, as the reality of Yggdrasil's end weighed heavily upon him. It had not actually been declared until last week, a year after his disappearance, but the loss of so many players made it obvious that Yggdrasil would not last much longer. The devs had a new game to attract paying customers and make up for the loss of profits. That only spawned more rumors that echoed her suspicions. The foretelling she had made Momonga face.

Perhaps it would've been different if the announcement had taken him by surprise, but was that really an excuse?

 _She_ was staying. What was so different between them that she could face this and he couldn't? What reason did he have to run from what they'd made with sweat and tears and their IRL cash?

Wasn't she as beat down as he was? Wasn't she just as alone in real life? Wasn't she hurting as badly because of the other guildmates had left them behind? Didn't she also consider Nazarick to be her _true_ home? Didn't she also suffer at her job? Wasn't she also missing her own family?

She had stayed. She would stay until the end!

Why couldn't he?

 _Why was everyone leaving her behind?_

Myobu, the last of the Original Nine and Guild Master by default, clenched her fists. She took a deep breath and then forced herself to relax. She had to keep her role, after all. This was the point of _everything_ now.

Her nine gold tails swayed behind her as she regally stood from her throne and equipped Shalltear with the promised amulet.

"[Shalltear: return to your station]. Keep up the good work."

The vampiric NPC, the one created by the bird-kin archer Peroroncino, curtseyed with her static smile and walked out of the throne room without a word.

But what had Myobu really been expecting? They were all NPCs. _She_ was the one role-playing. It was _her_ who was projecting on them. She was the one pathetically using them to not feel so alone, so _empty_ and _without purpose_.

"Fuck what anyone else might think," she muttered as she sat upon her throne once more. "They're _mine_. I can damn well project on them if I feel like it."

It wasn't exactly the best way to cope, but it was keeping her from…no, she didn't want to think on that. She was better now. She was _not_ going there again.

Myobu really did bury her face in her pale, clawed hands then. She felt so _heavy_ , so _tired._

"Maybe it's time to log out," she said to no one. "The closing date is tomorrow and I want to have enough energy to stay up until the very last second."

Her hand slowly rose to call up her menu. She hesitated just a moment before letting her finger fall on the [Log Out] button.

In her quiet and empty apartment, she dragged herself to her room and fell into her bed.

She hoped to dream of Nazarick.

* * *

She had called in sick for work. It might as well have been true. She felt listless and sick to her stomach. She was barely able to swallow down her breakfast without throwing up.

She might have cried a little after she was done eating, but no one was there to see it.

She put the bowl and spoon in the sink after she was done and stumbled to her recliner. She just stared at the headset that would send her to Yggdrasil – to _home_ – for quite some time. She didn't know how long she sat there before she reached over and grabbed it. She put it on her lap and stared at it a while longer.

She tilted her head to see the clock over her desk and realized, "Only sixteen hours left."

Sixteen hours was a long time to play all at once, even for an enthusiastic gamer, but it was all she had until she lost _everything_. It seemed so short when she thought of it like that.

"Sixteen hours," she said. She sighed and slumped in her chair. "Only that long until it all ends."

No game was as good as Yggdrasil in her opinion. She had never invested so much of herself as she had into it and into her guild within it. She _loved_ the Great Tomb of Nazarick and everything in it. She _loved_ the NPCs who would never leave her of their own free will.

She _loved_ the memories she had of their guild, even as she resented the ones who tarnished those very memories.

Sixteen hours didn't feel like enough time to say goodbye, but that was all the time there was.

As if suddenly realizing how quickly the end was coming, she shoved the helmet on and scrambled to plug the link-cord into the back of her neck. The home screen faded into her vision and she wasted no time on clicking the symbol for Yggdrasil.

Everything went black for a few seconds before the log-in screen faded into existence before her eyes. She shakily typed in her [Username] and [Password] and then selected her [Avatar], named Myobu to honor her chosen race of Fox Spirit.

She was the fabled Celestial Kitsune of Ainz Ooal Gown, the one who had gradually grown nine tails from one as a sign of maxing out her racial levels. She was the feared Summoner of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

And she was _home_ for the last, heartbreaking time.

* * *

 **A/N** : I feel like Overlord doesn't nearly have enough fanfic to read, so I decided to write some of my own. Like the story Overlord, expect OC to be absurdly powerful compared to the competition, while also being surrounded by fervently loyal NPCs who practically worship the ground she walks on. So, yeah, pretty much a power trip. Can't blame me though! The original story started it.

Things will be a bit different than the original, however. She's a kitsune, not an undead, so she's going to have a lot of different instincts. Keep in mind that she also has a physical body, so lust is one of those differences. Also, while she is primarily a magic-caster instead of a physical fighter, her skills WILL be different than Momonga's. Between her mentality and her skills, there are times where things will be very different.  
Warning: I've watched the full anime so far and then switched to the light novels to get ahead instead of waiting for July's new anime season. So, if things happen differently due to the change in media, I don't know.


	2. Chapter 1

She opened the sky-blue eyes that belonged to Myobu and found herself unsure of what to do. She wanted to say goodbye and had sixteen hours to do it in, but she didn't even know where to start. There was just so much she wanted to commit to memory that she was afraid she'd forget half of it along the way.

She tapped a finger against the arm of the large quartz throne she sat in and thought about what might be most efficient time-wise. "Might as well just work my way up, I suppose. I'm already on the bottom level. It'll be nice to explore everything closely."

The tenth floor wasn't just the throne hall, though it was a rather large part of it. There was a lot to see, even before you left the throne hall itself. The throne was a magnificent piece of black quartz that stretched far above her head and shared the coveted title of World Item. Albedo, the succubus NPC designed by Tabula Smaragdina, stood to the side of throne. Albedo was, perhaps, the most beautiful of her treasures on this floor.

The immaculate marble floor seemed to take that as a challenge as it reflected the light of the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling in a captivating manner. Most intricate of all were the large golden doors that led into the Lemegeton. One door had a carving of a beautiful goddess while the other had a hideous demon; they were so detailed they almost looked like they could step right out of the doors like a more intricate golem than the Clavicula Salomonis.

The Clavicula Salomonis were 67 golems of high quality that rested in the Lemegeton, which was a dome-shaped hall on the other side of those doors. Aside from the demon-shaped golems, there were four crystal lamps that spawned high-ranked elemental beasts when an enemy got close. If an intruder were unlucky enough to activate those all at once, it would undoubtedly be a party wipe.

Partway between the Lemegeton and the Pleiades' room was the door to the library, Ashurbanipal, which was headed by Titus Annaeus Secundus. It was also guarded by five Overlords, each over level 75. Ulbert had defended the use of valuable NPC points by stating that the library would contain valuable magic scrolls that Titus could duplicate with the right materials. That had sounded valuable, so she put it out of mind and didn't bother him more.

Toward the steps leading up to the next floor was the room of the Pleiades Six Stars. The battle-maids who lived there were lower leveled than the Floor Guardians, but they weren't intended to be a last line of defense anyway. They were merely there to slow and weaken the invaders, allowing time for the guildmates of Nazarick to gather in the throne room. That was a just-in-case measure, though, as the Lemegeton would prove deadly enough to a tired party that had just fought through 9 difficult floors to get to them.

And if they somehow survived the Lemegeton and made it into the throne hall with no guild members present? There was still Albedo, who had the highest defense. Myobu decided to make it even more unfair - considering Tabula had given Albedo a World Item that caused massive AOE damage - and had designed a Priestess Kitsune, Nenko, who could cast the highest healing spells – including resurrection – to back up the leader of the Floor Guardians.

Even worse was the Assassin Kitsune, Yako, that waited in the blind spot made from opening the door to the Round Table room. If the invaders thought they'd finally gotten the Guild Weapon and could relax, they'd find themselves dead before they could even get close. The thought of their rage and grief had made her grin madly for hours.

Oh, but that wasn't even the worst in the essence of sheer unfairness. There was a reason the largest coalition of guilds and Mercenary NPCs never made it past the 8th floor. It was a deadly combination of Victim, whose sacrifice caused a large-scale paralysis effect that couldn't be resisted, and Rubedo. Rubedo was possibly the strongest NPC in the Great Tomb of Nazaric. Myobu would've placed her bets on Rubedo had Touch Me challenged the NPC to a one-on-one duel in the arena.

Considering many people thought of Touch Me as one of the strongest PVP players, that was saying something.

She would've given anything to see Victim and Rubedo in action that day. So many people had cursed them on the message boards and she loved their frustration. They deserved to be crushed like insects if they were going to invade her home.

Oh, wait, that would be an insult to insects. They had some insect NPCs here who did good work.

Myobu gave a silent apology to said NPCs for the comparison, especially the battle-maid Entoma. That girl was adorable…so long as she had the mask bug acting as a face.

"Still better than some other people I could name," Myobu muttered. She was stood before the Pleiades and Sebas Tian, having wandered over here as she thought.

She looked them up and down and gave a wistful sigh. "It's such a shame you didn't get to prove yourselves. Maybe I can set something up in the colosseum for you to show off."

Just as she was turning to head toward the stairs, she was hit by a thought. It was not a nice one, but it so very tempting. She touched the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown and said, "[Destination: Round Table]."

There it was, floating and slowly rotating in it's niche behind the table large enough to fit forty-one players. The Guild Item of Ainz Ooal Gown was a staff made with Momonga in mind. It was a twisted golden masterpiece with seven serpents crowning the top, each with a powerful jewel in their mouths. It had been a collaborative effort that took years to make, even with all forty-one members working on the project. The majority of that time was spent solely on finding the jewels that had been drops from some of the strongest monsters. It didn't help at all that the particular drop only had a 10% chance of showing after you killed said boss-level monsters.

It was the strongest weapon they had. Ulbert hypothesized the power to be nearly equal to that of a World Item, which had made them all very proud.

Unfortunately, a guild was dissolved if their Guild Item was destroyed, so it never actually left its protected enclosure.

Well, until now that is. You needed the Guild Item to have access to certain things – things like the character sheets of NPCs you didn't personally make.

It was her right, wasn't it? They had all left Nazarick. The NPCs were hers now. She could shape them how she saw fit. If any of their previous members returned for a last huzzah and got offended and pushy, she could just kick them out of the guild.

They had left all these treasures to her. There wouldn't be any take-backs.

With the powerful Guild Item in hand, Myobu gave a farewell to her NPC assassin and swayed back into the throne room.

"Hello, Albedo," she nearly crooned. "I just need to do something really quick. You won't feel a thing, I promise."

Using the staff, she was able to open Albedo's character sheet with the [Edit] option available. The wall of text that popped up in her face was somewhat intimidating, but she had time and was good at skim reading.

It was only at the bottom did she really have a problem with Tabula's backstory.

She frowned and deleted that part about Albedo being a "slut". Sure, Albedo was a succubus, but Tabula didn't have to go that far. There was a difference between liking sex and throwing yourself at anyone with the parts you preferred.

"Alright, let's make that better for you," she said.

[Enjoys sex and is confident in her sexuality; however, she doesn't let it get in the way of her work.]

Myobu nodded to herself and then went to put in the edit she had bothering getting the staff to make.

[If given the choice to serve Tabula Smaragdina or Myobu, she would choose Myobu without hesitation.]

If Tabula did make his way here and go off with Albedo somewhere, at least Myobu could pretend that it was against Albedo's will…Myobu paused for a moment and wondered if she was perhaps taking her role-playing and projecting a little too far but shrugged it off. This made her feel better about this whole affair. Why deny herself happiness?

"Who cares if it's petty," she mused to herself. She clicked the [Save] option and hummed in contentment as she closed Albedo's character sheet.

She had about, oh, 15 and a half hours left. She should have enough time to alter the other Floor and Area Guardians' character backstories. If she was quick about it, she could probably tour the other floors as well. So long as she was quick about it. She wanted to make sure she got all of them.

She couldn't quite explain in words why this was so important, not without sounding insane.

She was the only one here though, so who cared?

"Next is Titus, Sebas and the Pleiades. Working up is Rubedo and Victim, followed by Demiurge, Aura, Mare, Cocytus, Neuronist, Nigredo, Shalltear, Kyoukukou, and Pandora's Actor."

There might've been more that she was forgetting, but those were the more interesting ones. She was pretty sure there was some sort of dog-zombie-maid somewhere? Pest-something? Well, that one wasn't really important. She was in charge of the homunculus maids, and those were all level 1. She had bigger fish to play with.

"Onward!" she cheered, a brittle smile on her face.

/

The 9th floor didn't actually have an official Floor Guardian, though her Kitsune Assassin kept a keen eye on the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. The Round Table was a bit strange in that while it was on the 9th floor technically, but was only accessible by a teleport panel hidden in the throne hall.

Which meant that the rest of the floor didn't really need watching and was passed over for the more lethal security measures. To put it plainly, the 9th floor was more of a luxury floor than anything else. Momonga had called it the Royal Suite, and it reflected the name.

Every member had their own set of rooms. There was a bar run by a strange-looking mushroom humanoid. Not far from said bar was the "staff canteen", which was even stranger than the mushroom man. Momonga really had been into roleplaying at the time and he put a lot of time with Peroroncino, Whitebrim, Herohero, and Coup de Grace to make things just right.

The staff canteen had nothing on the manicure salon and the spa resort. Firstly, the homunculus maids' race had in-game lore stating how much more they ate compared to others. But the salon and spa? Players were very limited in what sensory input they could receive, so a hot bath was out. There was absolutely no point to getting a manicure. She didn't even get those IRL, why would she sit back for a virtual one?

It was weird, but it was their lovechild and they'd put a lot of work into it, so she had just sighed and commiserated with Ulbert. He was sensible at least.

She almost regretted that the invading players had been stopped at the 8th floor and hadn't gotten to see the 9th. The confused and paranoid looks on their faces would have been priceless.

/

The 8th floor's theme was "wilderness". It did a really good job fitting the theme, that was for sure. She had to use a high tier life-detect to even find Victim, much less the container Rubedo was sealed in when inactive.

If she had to describe Victim in one word, it would be unsettling. He was literally a fetus with sticks stuck into its back for "wings" and a glowing halo shining over his head. The name its creator gave it just made it worse. Sure, it related to its function as a sacrifice, but looking at a monster fetus and hearing its name is Victim is off-putting. She'd been uncomfortable on the 8th floor for a while before Ulbert had teased her into desensitizing herself to it.

It took time, but she'd eventually gotten used to it. Just like she got used to calling her friend "Ulbert" and hearing his voice come out of a goat's head.

She shook her head sharply and opened Victim's backstory.

Like most of the others, she didn't see anything she really needed or wanted to edit out of his backstory. It took a while wracking her memory to recall who Victim's creator was so she could input what she decided to call the "Loyalty Code".

Whereas Victim needed little interference, Rubedo needed a lot. When she held the staff over her place of rest and called up her character sheet, she saw quite a few upsetting things.

Rubedo was one bad day from rebelling, according to Tabula. That was a line she fervently erased, not wanting to allow even the idea that another person might betray her. It wasn't real - Rubedo couldn't have that "bad day" – but she didn't like seeing the text there.

[While Rubedo can occasionally suffer mood swings, she honestly does her best not to hurt her fellow compatriots or Guild Master Myobu. If forced to choose between serving Tabula Smaragdina or Myobu, she would choose Myobu with no hesitation.]

Myobu stepped back after saving the edit and took a deep breath.

"Of course, you'd choose the strongest one to be a hairsbreadth from betrayal, you drama-loving idiot."

She shook her head and used her ring to transport her to one of her favorite floors.

/

The 7th floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick was a work of love by her favorite guild partner, Ulbert Alain Odle. It was interesting watching the how the light of the fires and lava danced across the smoke that whirled along the craggy ceiling like eddies. It was also rather interesting that any intruder stepping foot inside would immediately suffer fire damage from the sheer heat. It was also something Ulbert utilized in his plans for the floor.

It was amazing watching him work. He tailored his NPCs to make the most out of their environment. The lava slime in the lava river was particularly inspired. The ruins that covered the place looked as if demons had come and desecrated temples of gods, which fit the NPCs he made. Despite looking empty and barren, it had everything his chosen Floor Guardian needed to defend Nazarick.

Said Floor Guardian was named Demiurge. He wore pressed suits, had slicked-back hair, a metal tail, and glasses that hid jewels in place of eyes. Ulbert described him as one of the smartest of the Floor Guardians and their tactician in times of trouble. He was a level one hundred arch-devil.

Myobu was instantly smitten. Ulbert wasn't stupid and caught on very quickly. He found it hilarious and she had to beg him not to tell the others.

Fortunately, Ulbert decided to take is as a point of pride in himself and his creation instead of calling her disgusting or weird for being so fascinated by an image that couldn't return her feelings.

That was about six years ago. Ulbert was gone, but her fascination wasn't. She felt relieved that she still had him, that Ulbert hadn't deleted him or something.

She still had the Floor Guardians. She still had Demiurge. She wanted to keep him – them.

She wanted to open his character profile and add the code she'd been putting in the others so she could ease that nagging itch in the back of her head, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

It was Demiurge. How could she even…

She looked down at his kneeling form and instead praised him for his hard work. She paused for a moment, then resolutely activated the ring to go to the next floor.

/

The 6th floor was her second favorite. It was jungle themed and therefore home to a large forest. Within that forest was a very large tree that played home to the two dark elves Bukubukuchagama had made. They were Aura Bella Fiora and Mare Bello Fiore, who shared the position of Floor Guardian. The elves were young by their race's standards and appeared to be in their very early teens. Aura was a beast tamer and ranger, whereas Mare was gifted with magic.

Physically, Bukubukuchagama had each twin dress as the other gender, which put Mare in a rather cute skirt. Each also had heterochromia; Aura's left eye was blue while her right eye was green. Her younger brother's eyes were the mirror opposite. Frankly, they were both absolutely adorable.

Aside from the jungle they called their home, there was also a roman colosseum. It was used to trap intruders and force them to fight either summons or Aura's tamed beasts. After the guild won two dragons from the lottery and gave them to the twins, the "tournaments" got even more entertaining. And if the intruders won? They had Mare to deal with and he always carried a World Item that vastly increased his power.

Perhaps the most beautiful aspect was the false sky created by Blue Planet. Its stars matched the chart and the day/night cycle perfectly to Tokyo's.

Myobu shook her head, breaking herself away from her memories to look for the two children instead. She found them in a VIP stand in the Amphitheatrum – or the colosseum – and ignored their prostrated forms in favor of their character sheets.

She only found a serious fault in Mare, one which was very familiar to her when she was in her darker moods.

Being a shy and introverted bookworm isn't a problem, but sleeping all day can be.

There is one sentence you don't want to hear from a loved one, and it's this: "I want to sleep and never wake up."

Her shaking hands altered the text.

[He enjoys sleeping in when he can due to how late he stays up when riveted with a new book.]

The "Loyalty Code" was added next and she solemnly thanked them for their time before teleporting to the next floor.

/

The 5th floor is Cocytus' to protect and, much like the 7th floor, it also has a damage over time effect. In other ways, it's the complete opposite. While Demiurge's floor does fire damage, Cocytus' does ice damage and slows intruders. Demiurge's floor looks like some sort of hellscape, but the 5th floor is a land of winter.

Numerous icebergs fill the landscape while dark clouds and snow blot out the sky. While Demiurge appears to live in a broken temple, Cocytus lives in what they call the Snowball Earth. It's a white dome with six large crystals surrounding it.

The Frozen Prison also resides here, though there was little use for it in the game. Few of them were sadistic enough to abduct other players, toss them in the cells, and then kill them over and over until they either quit or lost all their levels. Wraith monsters guard it, as if such a place would be a target of interest.

Within the Frozen Prison are two additional rooms; the Room of Truth belongs to Neuronist Painkill while the Room of Nigredo obviously belongs to Nigredo. The Room of Truth exists solely for role play, as torturing other players using the Neuronist's equipment is impossible.

Putting aside the rather disturbing prison, the 5th floor is rather beautiful to look at in its own way. It'll never match up to the 7th and 6th in her heart, but it's a very close runner up.

"Now, where's Cocytus? Would he be in his room or patrolling?" she wondered aloud. "Ah – there!"

Cocytus was indeed patrolling, but knelt down when she stood in front of him.

"You're doing very well," she told him absentmindedly as she checked his character sheet.

Nothing in particular she'd like to change, aside from adding her "Loyalty Code". She was quick to do so before bidding the giant ice insectoid a good evening and making her way to the second floor.

There was little point in vising the fourth, as it was ruled by a powerful, but simple-minded golem. As for the third floor, it was ruled by Shalltear Bloodfallen, who also ruled the first and second floors. Considering her rooms were in the second floor, it was a good a guess as any. If she couldn't find Shalltear, she could probably locate Kyouhukou before looking on the other two floors.

/

Shalltear's domain were the Catacombs. They consisted of burial chambers and an underground chapel, both of which are populated by undead. Aside from those, there was also the Black Capsule and the Grave Vault of Adipocere, where Kyouhukou and Shalltear lived respectively.

These were the floors Myobu liked the least. She was not a large fan of the undead shambling around and Kyouhukou took longer to get used to than even Victim. She wasn't a fan of roaches and probably never would be. She could tolerate and use him when she needed to – she just preferred others. If a mission needed a bug, Entoma was fantastic help and a lot easier on the eyes as well.

Despite being her least favorite, they had a sort of old-school horror vibe that made her nostalgic.

Nostalgia aside, finding Shalltear was much easier than she had even hoped. She had gotten directions from a Vampire Bride to the shoddy rope bridge and caught the young-looking Floor Guardian before the could reach the other side.

Shalltear curtseyed. Her new amulet's obsidian charm gleamed in the light of Myobu's [Hovering Light] spell.

"Right," she began. "Good job today, Shalltear. I just have to finish a little something before you go."

A quick movement brought up the vampire's character sheet, which had almost as long an entry as Albedo. As she sped-read material, what she was reading finally sunk in. Myobu froze as Peroroncino's perversion came to light. She wished she could bleach her eyes and erase her memories.

'Dear god. Peroroncino, what the hell?!' she yelled internally. 'Erase, erase, erase. Oh, god! Nope!'

This was like finding someone else's porn stash. At least Peroroncino wasn't here to walk in on her messing around with this.

It took another five minutes of frantic editing until she was finally satisfied with Shalltear's data and dismissed her. Once Shalltear was out of sight, Myobu allowed herself to slump against the wall.

"I did not need to know that about him," she said, eyes still wide with horror.

She shivered and rubbed her arms. Quick steps – almost jogging, really – in the direction of the roach king NPC was better than thinking of what she'd just read.

/

Part of why she really disliked seeing Kyouhukou was because it wasn't just him in the room. It was a whole host of smaller roaches he had as familiars. These could supposedly burrow in an opponent's skin, eating them from the inside. Game-wise, this translated into a mix of bleeding and poison damage over time. If enough of his roaches got inside someone, it could end up in a game over for that player.

The only way out of the room was through teleportation, which made it an excellent trap. The room itself was small, so there were few fire spells that would actually prove useful in driving the roaches off. This made Kyouhukou's domain a horrifying trap for the unsuspecting. Especially if that person had a phobia for darkness, enclosed spaces, or bugs in general. It was more of a horror show than the Catacombs area proper.

Even though she wasn't an enemy, it was still slightly nerve-wracking to see the walls move. She spent as little time as she could manipulating his code before she teleported to her office.

Seeing she was alone, she allowed herself a full-body shudder.

/

She was glad she left Pandora's Actor for last. The treasurer, Momonga's creation, had a hilarious backstory in his character sheet.

Had Momonga really written this? It wasn't Luci-Fer?

Pandora's Actor had great stats and skills that made him not only incredibly powerful, but also incredibly flexible. That was to be expected of Momonga. Pandora's Actor's personality, however, was way over the top. If Momonga knew she was reading this, his face would be red with mortification. She'd bet all their gold on it.

She snorted before editing in her "Loyalty Code" and saving it into his character sheet. She regally stood up and gave a shallow nod to her fellow shape-shifter.

"You've done excellently in your position as treasurer thus far. Everything seems in place. [Pandora's Actor: Walk with Me]. I wish to tour my collection."

The attractively-uniformed humanoid saluted. The holes that replaced his eyes in his blank face looked straight into hers and waited. When she walked to the locked treasury door, he followed closely behind, as NPCs were programmed to do.

She didn't stop until she reached a wall that looked like dark glass. "[Guild Master Password Override]" she said with the Staff pointed at the glass.

The glass disappeared as if it never was, allowing her into the inner treasury. It was here that powerful divine and world class items were saved. It also contained a project of Momonga's she hadn't been able to bring herself to tear down.

It was the guild mausoleum. He had wanted to save their equipment in case they ever came back. She supposed there was a small chance they might've if they knew, but they never came to find out. She had told Momonga that keeping these on display when they weren't wanted would only hurt him. If he didn't want to sell them – which was a good because it would've given an advantage to the enemy – than the least he could do was put the equipment in chests so he wouldn't have to see it every time he came down.

But Momonga insisted, so she bowed her head and let them stay.

Were they part of why Momonga left? Had these displays help whittle away at his soul? Was this what was different between them? Momonga spent a lot more time in the mausoleum than she did.

The thought tempted her to destroy it, but she took a deep breath and calmed herself. What was done was done. She should just relax and enjoy the little time she had left.

With this in mind she looked to the corner display to see the count-down. She still had about ten hours left. There was one more think she could do, but she wanted to save that for last. What could she possibly do to take up ten hours?

Well, hadn't she wanted to take Sebas and the Pleiades out for a test drive? The colosseum should do well. She could summon lots of monsters of different levels and let them have a go at it. Maybe she should invite Albedo too. Between the [Alarm Talisman] and the other Floor Guardians, she could afford to let their Head get some exercise. Maybe she should bring Pandora's Actor as well. Only someone with the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown would be able to actually get to said treasury, so it should be fine to let him out.

Yes, that sounded like a great idea.

/

Almost ten hours can pass pretty fast if you're having fun and are in complete denial as to the passage of time.

Who knew that the Pleiades were so versatile in their skills, especially when working together! The werewolf form, the cyborg sharpshooter, the sneaky slime, the master of various insect skills, that superb control over magic, and the expertise with melee weapons. It was such a pleasure to watch. It was even more of a pleasure to push them near to their breaking point so she could see them work at their upmost potential.

And Sebas? He was a power all his own. The dragonoid was a very strong monk with an overall resistance to magic, which made for some really interesting moves. How had she overlooked him?

This was so exciting!

Yet those last minutes counting down were draining that excitement. She allowed herself a moment of weakness before standing straight and role-playing the Lady her character had become. She was the ruler of Nazarick and intended to play the part until the very end.

She would make up for the absence of the others.

"[Pandora's Actor, Albedo, Sebas, Pleiades: Go to Throne Room.]

The NPCs bowed at the waist and left.

"[Throw Voice - Aura, Mare: Go to Throne Room]"

She could see the distant forms of the two dark elves disappearing, heading to the lower floors to complete her order.

She pressed her ring and traveled to the golem's room to order it to guard the first floor. Then she traveled to the following floors to gather the rest of the floor guardians, leaving Shalltear for last so the golem had enough time to take her place.

When she activated her ring with the throne room in mind, she materialled before the Throne of Kings and sat herself as regally as she could manage. The NPCs kneeled before the throne in an act of reverence.

"We shall wait for Shalltear. Please remain in your positions," she said without issuing an [Order]. They would stay kneeling in front of her by default until she told them to rise.

It did not take much longer before Shalltear joined the others in kneeling before her. Good, now they could continue this. There was so little time.

Myobu slowly folded her hands in her lap and began her carefully rehearsed speech.

"My dear Floor Guardians, I am glad you made it here so quickly. I have grave news to share with you all. After all your loyal service, you deserve to know this truth which had been hidden from you by the All-Father. You might not know him, but he is the man that has been taking care of Yggdrasil. He has not announced a successor, but has hinted at the great likelihood that no one will take up his current burden.

"The reason this is so important is because his support is what allows Yggdrasil to live and thrive. Without his care, Yggdrasil will rot and die, taking everything with it. As far as I know, this includes Nazarick and everyone within it.

"I have decided to remain with you, unable to imagine a life without all of you. You are as much a treasure to me as Nazarick itself, which I consider my true home. I would say that you and Nazarick are even greater to me than all the World Items my guild has collected.

"I can't bring myself to follow the other Supreme Beings. Not if I can't bring you all with me."

She took a deep breath at looked intently at their blank faces. It hurt, but she could imagine.

"If my soul loses sight of you in the afterlife, know that I will never forget you. I will always hold you, my dearest treasures, close to my heart."

She reluctantly looks at the timer in the corner of her vision.

"We have less than a minute left until the All-Father drops Yggdrasil."

She meets each of their emotion-less eyes again and says, "I love every single one of you. I always will."

[23:59:50]

"Do not be afraid," she says.

Grief threatens to overcome her mask as the Lady of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, but she holds onto her composure.

[24:00:00]

[00:00:01]

She looks at the timer in disbelief.

[00:00:07]

"My Lady?" she hears, and looks down.

A number of concerned faces from kneeling subjects look back at her.

"Are you alright?"

/

 **A/N:** Poor darlings, your Lady feels a little lost. Lend a hand?

I hope you enjoyed this. I've gone with no sleep for more than 24 hours, so if you spot any grammatical error, please let me know.

Sorry if this seems like it doesn't have enough action. I wanted to show you what Nazarick appears to me and her feelings regarding both them and the people who left. I also wanted to show how deeply she's gotten herself into the role-playing act.


	3. Chapter 2

Myobu's mind blanked for a moment as she was bombarded by a number of impossible things. The physical sensations were the most immediate, followed by what two of those senses were translating to her brain. It was almost too much to take in all at once. This had never happened before!

A sense of smell and touch should be impossible to experience virtually. Even if such inputs had been developed secretly, she would have needed to buy new hardware to support it.

"My Lady?" Albedo prompted again, a worried look painted across her face.

It was so organic, too. A natural reaction in shape and tone – far more than Yggdrasil could or would present. If this really was an update for the game, surely they would have announced it. Even if it was limited to NPC behavior, it would have tempted old players to come for a second look. Quite a few of her guildmates would have returned, if only to hear what the voices of their NPCs sounded like.

This could not be real. Was she dreaming?

She wanted to pull at her hair, to tug at her twitching ears and tails, to take her pulse – anything to verify that what she experienced was true, for no dream could be so detailed. She refrained, barely, as such desperate actions were not something befitting the Lady of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. She still had a role to play, and it was that thought that allowed her to formulate an answer.

"It seems," Myobu began slowly, "that something has gone wrong. Give me a moment to contact the GM, the All-Father's messenger. It shouldn't take long."

Her hand wasn't shaking when she brought it up to conjure the menu. She was quite grateful for that, considering all the eyes watching her.

Such thankfulness was forgotten when the menu failed to appear. She tried again to no avail.

She took a deep breath to quell her rising anxiety and looked instead to those kneeling before her. Focusing on them helped.

"The communication line to the GM is not available," she explained. "I can think of a few reasons for this, but can't be sure. It is likely linked to why the Great Tomb of Nazarick still exists."

Her claws clicked on the stone arm of the throne. She could feel the texture and coolness through the pads of her fingers. This couldn't be a dream, could it? What had happened?

"Demiurge, I want you to go outside and get an aerial view of our surroundings – a kilometer circumference should do. I want a detailed report of the terrain and if you find any discrepancies in either the number or behavior of the monsters outside."

The arch-devil's head bowed. "Of course, Lady Myobu. Shall I leave now?"

"Yes," she answered with a regal nod. "This mission is of the upmost importance. I trust you to complete it to my satisfaction."

"I will not disappoint you, Lady Myobu!" he said with a confident grin.

She watched him smoothly stand and leave, his tail swaying behind him. Her ears remained pointed in his direction as the resonant tone of his voice imbedded itself in her mind. Was that slight echo a side effect of his passive [Command Mantra] skill? It sounded very nice.

It was also yet another thing that likely wouldn't have been included in a simple update. Her options were running out, but her experiments deciding that would have to be finished later. She still had loyal servants kneeling and awaiting directions.

"Aura, I want you and Itzamna under stealth and watching the entrance. If you see any threats making a move toward Nazarick, I want them dealt with. Gargantua will remain on the first floor by the entrance to deal with anyone who gets past you."

"I'll get to it right away, Lady Myobu! No one will get past me and Itzamna, so you can rest easy," Aura exclaimed cheerfully. After Myobu gave her permission, the dark elf practically bounced away to fetch her pet and fulfill her assigned duty.

"Gargantua shall remain on the first floor, Shalltear, so you will overlook the second and third floor. For the rest of you Floor Guardians, I want you to guard and thoroughly investigate your floors. If there is anything different, I want to know immediately."

She paused and hid her growing frown behind a hand as she realized that she had just sent out Demiurge before he could check his own floor. She'd have to have compromise until Demiurge completed his task.

"Sebas, your resistances will protect you from the seventh floor's passive fire damage effect. I want you to patrol Demiurge's floor until his return. Tell the Demon Lords to be on high alert and assist you."

"I understand, Lady Myobu," Sebas replied. "Upon Demiurge's return, what would you have me do?"

"After Demiurge has returned, I shall call you all together again to discuss his findings in the arena of the sixth floor."

She brought her hand away from her mouth and waved. "Go, my Guardians. See to the safety of Nazarick!"

"Yes, Lady Myobu!" they echoed.

Shalltear, Cocytus, Mare, Sebas, Victim, and Rubedo stood and left to return to their floors. Albedo and Nenko stood to take their places at the right and left side of her throne respectively. Only Pandora's Actor and the Pleiades remained before her, having not yet received orders. Myobu hummed as she thought of what she could have the unexpectedly strong battle-maids do.

"Pleiades, you shall guard the ninth floor until further notice. Yuri Alpha shall be your leader until Sebas Tian returns from the seventh floor and re-takes the position," she decided.

"We hear and obey!" they replied.

"Pandora's Actor, you will return to guarding the treasury until further notice."

"I shall guard the mystical treasures within the treasury with my very life, Lady Myobu! No dastardly intruder will so much as see a coin!"

She waved them away and watched with newly enhanced eyes as Pandora's Actor opened a [Gate] to return to the treasury.

Yuri Alpha led her sisters out in a much more mundane fashion. The Pleiades truly were an interesting bunch. They were called sisters, but were of many different races. A family of choice, instead of by blood, according to their creators. What a family they made.

Yuri Alpha, the dullahan undead who specialized in close combat; Lupusregina Beta, the werewolf war-cleric; Narberal Gamma, the doppelganger magic-caster; CZ2128 Delta, the automaton sniper; Solution Epsilon, the slime assassin; and Entoma Vasilissa Zeta, the arachnoid who specialized in insect-themed magic and talismans.

There was one more "sister" who had not been present, but that was because she was an area guardian of the Cherry Blossom Sanctuary on the eighth floor. Aureole Omega was a miko and the only immortal human in the Great Tomb of Nazarick. She was double her sisters' level, being at the maximum hundred. Her background had her in charge of the teleportation gates of Nazarick.

If one of her suspicions was true, that position would be less of a gimmick and more of an actual concern. She could hope that it wouldn't prove to be a problem, but if it were…well, the eight floor was the most dangerous. Aureole Omega would have Victim and Rubedo backing her up if things went south.

Albedo's sweet voice broke her introspection. "Lady Myobu, may I ask what has you so concerned?"

"You may. As to the answer…I'm currently trying to figure out the dangers this new situation may bring," she said. "This is not what the All-father planned. While that is a great blessing, it leaves many unknown dangers that may threaten us."

"Lady Myobu," Nenko began softly, "whatever dangers may come, we will allow no harm to come to you. We will keep Nazarick safe."

"It is as she said," Albedo agreed. "We, your humble servants, will protect this place with our very lives!"

Myobu laced her fingers together and carefully leaned back so as not to crush her tails. "I know that you will, but I ask that you do your best not to die. As I said earlier, you all are my most cherished treasures."

She politely ignored their delighted blushes, wagging tails, and flapping wings. There was much to think on. The most important being whether this was the reality she was beginning to think it was or some highly sophisticated update she doubted it to be.

There were only so many sensations that could be transferred over to the brain. As she had never had a tail before, that would perhaps be her best bet. She didn't want to do the tests here, however, in case she did something else embarrassing as a result.

Having decided her course of action, she stood. She carefully hid her shock at how easy rising from her place was. She had expected her golden tails to throw her off balance with their additional weight, but it was the opposite instead. The tails naturally shifted to _support_ her balance, making her stride even smoother and more regal than she had ever experienced in real life.

 _Another strike._

"I will be in my rooms until Demiurge returns," she tells the happy duo.

She uses the ring to teleport to her suite on the ninth floor without thinking of why it might not work, only to be hit with the possibility after she had already appeared beside her bed.

There was no menu, no HUD, and yet she had somehow used the ring of Ainz Ooal Gown to appear in her room. It was an instinctual twist of will, as if simply doing something that had been repeated dozens of times before.

Could her skills, inventory, and other items be utilized with the same simplicity? Would she feel the state of her HP and Mana as it fluctuated?

That was certainly something to test, but would have to be done later. She had another test first.

She carefully sat on the luxurious bed and brought one of her nine tails onto her lap.

 _Now or never_.

The first test was gently petting it, which felt very nice indeed. So nice, in fact, that her other tails curled in pleasure. Myobu unconsciously started purring like a cat, which was something regular foxes couldn't do. She absentmindedly forgave the devs that artistic license as she delighted in the feel of her hand running over her soft fur. She may have ended up petting herself longer than she had intended, but who could blame her?

 _Strike_.

Out of curiosity, she brought one of her hands to pet the fox-ears atop her head. While the sensation was not as strong as her tails, it was quite close. The additional sensation caused her to purr even louder and the vibration of it was a very interesting experience.

Unfortunately, she still had to test the opposite spectrum. Could her tails – something she had never had as a human – cause her to feel pain? If it could, what kind of force would be required and how much would it hurt?

This was a test she knew she wouldn't like, but was still important. If this world was real, she needed to know her boundaries.

She reluctantly stopped her petting and thought of what method to test first.

"Well, there was that one tale about a nine-tailed fox cursing anyone who pulled their tails, so…" she trailed off with a frown, but firmly grabbed a tail regardless.

A light tug didn't hurt, but it didn't feel good either. She experimentally tugged harder, but that only reminded her of the sensation of someone tugging her arm. It was a little annoying, but didn't necessarily hurt. She was starting to get the feeling that she'd have to tug it very hard for it to do damage, but that reminded her far too much of that one time she dislocated her arm IRL and she had no intention of going that far.

If pulling didn't hurt, would pressure? She had accidentally stepped on the tail of the family dog once and it had made a very loud yip in response. She had felt so guilty after that, but the dog had easily forgiven her. Did that mean it was more like stubbing your toe?

Only one way to find out.

She very much disliked the idea and the thought of it possibly dirtying her tails made her even more unhappy, but it was necessary. This wasn't something she wanted to be surprised about in the future.

She carefully positioned a tail under her heel and lightly applied pressure. Much like the tugging, a light pressure was fine. She reluctantly put more weight on it and started to feel a slightly uncomfortable pinch. It wasn't too bad, but…

She shook her head slightly and continued until she was standing her full weight on it. Her face screwed up in discomfort, but she didn't feel bad enough to start crying. It felt more like that time her friend stepped on her leg by accident.

She could feel it, it was uncomfortable, and she would greatly prefer it not be done; however, she wasn't about to go screaming bloody murder because of it. She'd probably yip if someone did so on accident and definitely if someone jumped on it and broke the bone, but it was otherwise fine.

Perhaps she wasn't heavy enough for it to make it hurt? She was remarkably light.

Still, the important thing was that she could _feel_ both pleasure and discomfort from a limb she didn't previously possess. The same went for her ears, which felt good while being pet and hurt more than her tails when tugged or pinched.

This wasn't a game. Considering the sharp pain in her ear after she pinched it, it couldn't be a dream either.

Which left the possibility of this either being real or being a sign that she had finally gone mad.

If this was real, she should be cautious and act responsibly. If she was insane, she should treat it the same and just enjoy what her mind interpreted as her new reality.

The Great Tomb of Nazarick would continue in one way or another.

Was this not a wish come true? She should enjoy it.

Myobu stepped off her tail and meticulously looked over it for any dirt. She brushed off what little there had been gathered from the floor and gently pet it to soothe the lingering discomfort. When it passed, she reluctantly let it rest behind her with the other eight and began some preliminary plans.

First of all, she needed to know what had changed. A lot of that would have to wait until Demiurge returned, but she could test other things in the arena. Her skills, inventory, and items needed to be checked over in case a fight happened. The NPCs should probably test theirs as well. The last thing Myobu wanted was for someone to try out a skill in combat and be caught off guard because it didn't work like they were used to.

Actually, since the NPCs were changed into more sentient beings, it was entirely possible that other things in them had changed as well. She had altered their backstories, but had those backstories even been taken into account by whoever changed them?

Was Mare a bookworm, or was he just a magically gifted dark elf that could smile and respond to orders? Did he want to sleep all day or just when he'd stayed up too late because of a good book?

Was Demiurge smarter than the others or was he their equal? Could Demiurge even describe what he saw outside in detail?

There were so many other things included in the NPCs profiles, but did they mean anything?

And most worrying of all…would they remain loyal?

That thought had a sharp pain growing in her chest.

"They seemed fine," she said to herself as she hugged her tails. "They seemed pretty happy to follow what I said."

But did they? Did Demiurge fly out to scout or did he just keep going with no intention of ever coming back? Did Aura race after him? Would she ever see either of them ever again?

Worse yet was the possibility that she had sent both of them to their possible deaths. What if the environment outside Nazarick was inhospitable, or filled with monsters more powerful than all of them put together?

Why hadn't she sent them with more reinforcements?! They could be dead! They could –

An insistent beep from her hand caught her attention and caused her ears to twitch. It reminded her of the [Message] skill that could be used in Yggdrasil. With no button to confirm or deny, she brought her left hand to her ear and mentally thought of accepting it.

["This is Demiurge, Lady Myobu. I have completed my investigations of our immediate surroundings."]

A wave of relief flowed so strongly over her it nearly made her dizzy.

["Well done, Demiurge. Meet me on the sixth floor in the arena. I will call the others so we might all hear your findings. I will decide our future course afterward."]

["I am not worthy of such praise, Lady Myobu! I shall meet you on the sixth floor as quickly as possible."]

["I look forward to hearing your report,"] she said before ending the spell.

She stared at the wall for a moment, still taken aback at how quickly he was to demean his own efforts. Did he find so little to report that he found her compliment excessive?

Well, she would find out herself in due time. Before that, however, was a very interesting little test.

If Demiurge could [Message] her, did that mean that she could do the same to the other NPCs? That wasn't something that could be done before. It would be invaluable if she could.

[Message: Aura; "Aura, return to the arena of floor six. Leave your pet with instructions to guard the entrance."]

["I'm on it, Lady Myobu! See you soon!"]

Myobu ended the [Message], incredibly please with herself for figuring out how to do it without the menu. It was looking like everything would be more instinctual than she had previously worried. Now, could she get a group chat working?

[Message: Shalltear, Cocytus, Sebas Tian, Rubedo, Victim, Albedo; "Demiurge has returned. Meet with us in the arena of floor six."]

She closed the line upon hearing the multiple agreements and activated the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown to reach the meeting location.

She could only hope that Demiurge had good news.

* * *

The first person she saw was Mare, who was nervously shifting his skirt until he saw her. He awkwardly jogged forward and quickly bowed at the waist once he reached her.

"W-Welcome to our floor, Lady Myobu!" he greeted.

"Rise, Mare," she gently prompted. When he did, she could see his mis-matched eyes were wide and looking at her with awe and curiosity. It was adorable, but now wasn't the time for such distractions. "What is the status of your floor?"

"Ah, well, everything seems the same as before. I haven't seen any problems and we haven't had any more intruders since you sent us back," he reported dutifully.

"That is good to hear!" she said warmly. "I hope to hear the same from the others. They should be joining us soon."

The sound of metal on metal had her ears turning to the left, so she shifted to see what had approached. It was Demiurge. The sound had likely been due to his own swaying tail, as it was covered with metal plates. The thought made her insanely curious – was his tail metal or was the metal actually armor for a tail hidden underneath?

Thoughts of a Demiurge with a more traditional devil's tail were interrupted by a gate opening to her right. Shalltear strolled out from the black hole just as Cocytus walked in. Sebas Tian, Victim, Rubedo, and Albedo joined afterwards. Aura was last, having had to travel the furthest.

Right before she could prompt them for their own reports, Albedo stepped forward and kneeled.

"We, the Floor Guardians – disregarding Gargantua, the Guardian of the fourth floor – do hereby swear our undying loyalty to Lady Myobu, the last of the Supreme Beings and the who stayed with us until the very end!"

As if they had planned it all beforehand, the other Floor Guardians also took the knee – except for Victim, who simply descended until he was nearly touching the ground.

"Guardian of the first through third floors, Shalltear," the True Vampire said, as if introducing herself. "I serve and obey!"

"Guardian. Of. The. Fifth. Floor. Cocytus! I. Serve. And. Obey!" the blue insectoid said, a cold fog following every exhale.

"Aura Bella Fiora, Co-Guardian of the sixth floor. I serve and obey!" the outgoing dark-elf proclaimed, her usual gleaming eyes lowered in reverence.

"Mare Bello Fiore, Co-Guardian of the sixth floor. I serve and obey!" the shy mage said without stuttering.

"Demiurge, Guardian of the seventh floor. I serve and obey!" the arch-devil repeated, his echoing voice reaching into their hearts.

"Roolf hthgie eht fo naidrauG-oC, mitciV. Yebo dna evres I." Victim proclaimed in the game's version of Enochian. Myobu didn't go through the mental loops to translate it, but assumed he was following the supposed script.

"Rubedo, Co-Guardian of the eighth floor. I serve and obey!" the strongest NPC said, fist held over her heart.

"Sebas Tian, Leader of the Pleiades. I serve and obey!" the elderly looking dragonoid said.

"Leader of the Guardians, Albedo. I serve and obey!" Albedo finished smoothly. "We await your orders, Supreme One. You need but ask it of us, and it will be done!"

Myobu couldn't help but smile.

Some might have thought of this as just a production, but she could _feel_ the sincerity in their words. It eased her worry of their possible betrayal and made her even feel slightly guilty for suspecting them of it.

"Very good, my Treasures. I am pleased to hear your oaths of loyalty! Now stand, so we all may receive Demiurge's report in comfort."

"As you wish, Lady Myobu!" they spoke as one.

After each of them had risen from their positions, she gestured for Demiurge to begin. He took a step forward and bowed his head in respect before speaking.

"The Great Tomb of Nazarick seems to have been moved. Where once we were surrounded by swamps, we are now in a very flat grassland. A little further north there is a village, followed by a large forest and the beginning of a mountain range. To our south-west there seems to be a rather large town, though it was hard to make out how large considering its distance from us."

Myobu nodded thoughtfully. "Any monster activity?"

"None in our immediate vicinity," Demiurge said. "Or on the road leading to the town. I couldn't say for the forested areas, but I would not discount the possibility."

Well, at least they wouldn't have to worry about monsters immediately. Still, to be in a flat grassland would have The Great Tomb of Nazarick stand out to anyone so much as looking in their general direction. They didn't know what dangers existed in this world, so standing out so boldly would be dangerous. They needed to hide Nazarick before anyone came across them.

If her talismans and illusion magic worked like they should, Mare and she could fix that problem without much fuss.

"And what of your floors?" Myobu wondered aloud. "Have you seen any changes?"

Each of them responded negatively, which was good news. She hoped it would stay that way.

"Good. I have some ideas on how to secure Nazarick for now, but I would like to hear your ideas as well…"

They had a miracle here. She wasn't going to let anyone ruin it.

* * *

A/N: This took a lot longer than I intended. Sorry! Anyway, next chapter includes Carne Village, where some serious butterflies begin to spread their wings!

If you spot any errors, please let me know. My eyes were heavy when I was finishing this up.


End file.
